Sometimes the most impressionable recruiters can be in middle school. They come up to a prospect with the same painted face every Friday night. They urge, but don’t beg.
They tell that 4-star or 5-star not to forget the important stuff and they know football. That was the case last Friday with UGA commitment Jaleel Laguins. The 4-star inside linebacker is still committed to UGA, but he’s going to take his visits.
He’s thinking about official visits to Florida, Kentucky, LSU and Tennessee, among others. Laguins will take an official visit to LSU on Nov. 28.
Cade Donaldson knows this. Donaldson, 11, is a little sharper than your average sixth grader. He makes sure to find Laguins after every Oconee County game.
“Stay with Georgia,” Donaldson says every Friday. “We’ll have a new quarterback. (Nick) Chubb will be back. Mark Richt will have them boys ready. We’ll be just fine. He needs to just stay with Georgia and he’ll be fine.”
UGA assistant Mike Ekeler is one of the lead recruiters for Laguins. He might be a co-lead recruiter after watching Donaldson. Donaldson’s sincerity was evident behind every fleck of that blue paint in the first round of the GHSA state playoffs.
“I say that to Jaleel after every game,” Donaldson said. “I don’t want him to forget about Georgia.”
What did Laguins tell DawgNation in his postgame interview? Check out the video conversation above for answers to the following:
- What did he say when the UGA coaches recently asked him about his commitment?
- What did he think about the rumors surrounding the UGA staff? Which schools have given the most recruiting attention of late?
- What is their message?
- What does he think about LSU?
- What’s going on right now between him and Florida?
Jeff Sentell covers UGA recruiting for AJC.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow him on Twitter for the latest on who’s on their way to play Between the Hedges.
